Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine)

What Is Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine)?

Plaquenil is the brand name for the prescription drug hydroxychloroquine.

It's used to treat and prevent malaria infection, and to reduce symptoms and progression of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and others.

Malaria is spread by mosquitoes, which transmit the parasites that cause the infection, usually in tropical and subtropical parts of the world.

Plaquenil is used to treat other types of infections too. For example, it may be combined with an antibiotic to treat chronic Q-fever, which humans usually catch from farm animals or raw milk.

The drug may be used to treat a type of blood disease called porphyria cutanea tarda, although it's only used in certain cases because it can worsen symptoms.

Plaquenil is in a class of medicines known as antimalarials. It's a less toxic version of the older antimalarials, including quinine and chloroquine.

The drug is also in a group of biologic medicines known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), because of its effects on autoimmune illnesses, which develop when your body's disease-fighting system starts to turn against your healthy cells.

Medical researchers are exploring the use of Plaquenil for additional illnesses, including other autoimmune conditions, skin disorders, some cancers, and heart, blood, and infectious diseases.

Plaquenil was originally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1955.

Plaquenil Warnings

Before taking Plaquenil, tell your doctor if you have or have ever had:

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